In 20th century, Kuopio was a remarkable wood industry city with several factories and sawmills. As times passed industry concentrated more and more under same owners. Biggest name in town was (H.)Saastamoinen Oy, which had grown of Mr. Herman Saastamoinen's butter trade to a diversified company. At best times the industry division of Saastamoinen employed thousands of people in Savo region.

The sawmill was built by Saastamoinen company in 1922. From the beginning, industrial carpentry (like making window frames) extended the operations. The sawmill burned in 1975 and was rebuilt into a modern plant. Production capacity now exceeded 150 000 cbm, so the sawmill was considered large-scale.

Times changed and forest industry was no longer the number one business even in Kuopio. Yhtyneet Sahat (United Sawmills), the timber sub-division of UPM announced they would close the sawmill in 2001. So they did, and left the devastatedly emptied buildings waiting for demolition. Window and door production stayed at the area for some years, but recently they've been under re-organization also. Today this is the last (partially) active industrial area inherited from the Saastamoinen company.